Bone Overgrowth in Cats

Hypertrophic Osteopathy in Cats

Though rare in cats, hypertrophic osteopathy can create extreme discomfort and pain in your pet. It refers to an abnormal increase in size of bone due to new bone formation, which may cause swellings at all four limbs and is often confused with arthritis. Hypertrophic osteopathy may also cause lameness due to swelling and pain at joints and bones.

Symptoms and Types

Lethargy

Reluctance to move

Swellings at distal portions of limbs, especially forelimbs

Painful limbs

Edema on limbs

Decreased movement in joints due to swelling

Lameness

Causes

The exact cause of new bone formation is still unknown, but this condition has been seen in association with various diseases, including:

Pneumonia

Heartworm disease

Heart disease

Tumor of urinary bladder

Tumor of liver and prostate gland

Lung tumors metastasizing to the affected areas

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian will take a detailed history, asking you about the duration and frequency of symptoms. He or she will then perform a complete physical examination. Routine laboratory tests including complete blood count, biochemistry profile, and urinalysis will be conducted. The results are usually normal but may vary depending on the underlying disease, if present. X-rays of the bone may reveal new bone formation and help your veterinarian in localizing the disease. He or she may also decide to take bone sample for further evaluation, including investigating for the presence of tumors.

Treatment

Diagnosis of the underlying cause and treating it are major goals for the resolution of the problem. However, as exact etiology is still unknown, finding the underlying cause and treating it is not always possible. Your veterinarian will prescribe painkillers to alleviate pain and drugs to reduce swelling at affected sites. In some cases, surgery may be required to remove the tumor mass.

Living and Management

It is important to follow the guidelines and administer medication at the right dosage and time to maintain quality of life. But even after treatment of the primary cause, clinical symptoms may continue for one to two weeks. Bone(s), meanwhile, may take months to get back to its original shape, even with the correction of the underlying disorder and are not known to be fully reversible. Your cat may feel sore and may need therapy for pain management at home.

If a metastic tumor is the underlying cause of the hypertrophic osteopathy, prognosis is very poor.

prostate gland

The gland around the urethra that secretes the fluid to allow sperm to move about

urinalysis

An in-depth examination of the properties of urine; used to determine the presence or absence of illness

prognosis

The prediction of a disease’s outcome in advance

etiology

The study of the various causes of disease

distal

The furthest distance from the middle or the top of a body

arthritis

A medical condition in which the joints become inflamed and causes a great deal of pain.

lameness

Any type of pain or tenderness or lack of soundness in the feet or legs of animals